With Tuesday's announcement that his venture capital firm is investing in Polymarket and adding him to its advisory board, Donald Trump Jr. is expanding his holdings in prediction markets.
Axios reports that Trump Jr.'s 1789 Capital firm has invested a double-digit, multimillion-dollar sum in Polymarket. The conditions of the investment were not disclosed by Polymarket.
Although Polymarket has a somewhat bigger trading volume, Trump Jr. is also a member of the advisory board of Kalshi, another prediction market. According to Axios, the Kalshi advisory job is compensated.
Launched in 2020, Polymarket is a decentralized blockchain-based platform that allows users to purchase and sell contracts depending on the results of actual events. It requires a cryptowallet.
Valuation in billions of dollars
Over the past year, the platform's legal troubles have made headlines. Although it is available everywhere, Americans are not permitted to use it.
In 2022, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) fined Polymarket US$1.4 million for operating without a license.
Americans may soon have access to the platform after Polymarket paid $112 million to acquire a CFTC-licensed exchange (QCEX) in 2024. The business also declared in June that X will become its official prediction market partner. Recently, the company was valued at $1 billion USD.
The investigation was abandoned
The Trump administration concluded the Justice Department and CFTC investigations into Polymarket in July 2025. The previous Biden administration had started a series of measures against cryptocurrency companies and online betting marketplaces. In November 2024, Shayne Coplan, the CEO of Polymarket, was the target of a public raid by the FBI, which entered his New York residence and confiscated electronic gadgets and cell phones.
A wide number of markets are available on Polymarket, including those that cover politics, sports, entertainment, and controversies involving celebrities. Its decentralized structure enables quick market development in response to user demand. According to an NBC study, Polymarket made headlines during the US presidential election in November 2024, with over US$3.6 billion in trading activity.
QCEX Acquisition Paves Way for Market Re-Entry
“This strategic investment marks a significant milestone for Polymarket. Our long-term partnership with 1789 Capital will help reinforce Polymarket’s leading position as a trusted source of free, transparent, and accurate market information in the U.S. and around the world,” said Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan.
“We are proud to formally welcome 1789 Capital as a strategic partner and Donald Trump Jr. to our advisory board as we continue building our platform to reflect real-world sentiment, in real time, for all to see.”
$6 billion in transactions
Users have already predicted US$6 billion on the site, the business said in a statement released on Tuesday.
"Polymarket is the largest prediction market in the world, and the U.S. needs access to this important platform,” said Donald Trump Jr. “Polymarket cuts through media spin and so-called ‘expert’ opinion by letting people bet on what they actually believe will happen in the world.”
“I am pleased that 1789 Capital is investing in Polymarket and am honored to join the company’s advisory board. I look forward to working with the team to advance its mission of bringing truth and transparency to everyone – including the U.S.”